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Battery Tender recommendation

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jkwilson

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Dec 5, 2012
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758
Location
SW Indiana
You won't want to leave that kind of charger on a battery for very long. It will overcharge your battery.

I'd suggest you look into NOCO G1100

Watch around Black Friday. NOCO has a couple of 50% off sales during the year.
 
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bob15

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Dec 8, 2011
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Location
Northeasten, CT
I have a Schumacher (6 volt), 2 Auto Meters, a battery tender and a battery minder and have had any issues with any of them. For whatever reason, I like the AM's the best.
 
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jjjrmx5

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Dec 30, 2010
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Location
Cincinnati, OH
Schumacher or Battery Tender Jr. brands.

I have both and use the BTJ on AGM batteries all the time.
Very low charge rate.

Never had a problem.
De-sulphate bigger $$ set-ups are ideal, but if the vehcile is used during part of the year, I find it unnecessary.
 
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Garage Josh

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Sep 21, 2014
Messages
67
I've always used the Battery Tender Jr. brand for my motorcycles and have had no complains, and have known others use it too. I, and others I knew actually hooked up those quick connects so that we used them not just during storage times, but day to day. Out of habit, hook it up after riding, and unplug quickly when ready to go. Kept batteries a lot longer.
 
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Syberia

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Jan 13, 2014
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Location
Perris, CA
I use the Battery Tender Jr as well. I have a cigarette lighter plug on the end of it, and have installed cigarette lighter sockets on both of our motorcycles, so plugging it in and unplugging it could not be easier. I also used it in my car when it sat parked for several months over the summer, also through the cigarette lighter.

It will charge a dead battery if you jump it from a live battery first to get a little bit of charge in it, and I have used it to do this in a pinch, but it takes literally days to charge fully.

Sent from my Tricorder using Tapatalk
 
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brtsvg

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Aug 13, 2011
Messages
131
Garage Josh said:
I've always used the Battery Tender Jr. brand for my motorcycles and have had no complains, and have known others use it too.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I have 2 of them and they work great. They are all over Ebay for about $ 25 new instead of about $ 40 retail. I have recommended them to others.

Just remember to check the battery fluid level about 3-4 times a year when using them.
 
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MaintenanceGuy

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Sep 1, 2014
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S.F. California
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theoldwizard1

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MikeF2316

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Dec 29, 2012
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Location
Thornhill, ON
I've used a Battery Tender that I bought before they discovered green paint. I got 16 years out of the battery in my FJ1200, plugging into the Battery Tender whenever the bike sat for more that a couple of weeks. Theoretically, it could do 2 batteries if they were connected in parallel, but they do make a 2 (and 4) battery version.
 
P

Provincial

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Sep 21, 2011
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Near Salem, OR
Has anyone tried the Battery Tender that is in Costco right now? I didn't get the item number when I was in the store, and I can't find it on Costco's website. It is green, but BT makes a whole lot of green models!
 
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KLRCraig

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Dec 31, 2012
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90
Location
Lake Havasu AZ
Having been the mechanic for a fleet of police motorcycles for 35 years I have tried all types of chargers and had the best luck with the battery tender plus not the Battery tender JR. I still have one I have used every day since 1993 on my jetski.
 
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MikeF2316

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Location
Thornhill, ON
KLRCraig said:
Having been the mechanic for a fleet of police motorcycles for 35 years I have tried all types of chargers and had the best luck with the battery tender plus not the Battery tender JR. I still have one I have used every day since 1993 on my jetski.
Click to expand...

That's another good point about Battery Tender. I bought mine back in '95 or '96. It's one major flaw is that the wires coming out the back are a little unflexible, so if you move the wires, the device can fall off the shelf you've put it on. Mine sits on a 2x4 nailed between open studs in my garage. Until I drilled a large hole at the back of the shelf for the wires to go down through, I dragged that thing off the shelf and it hit the concrete floor multiple times, and it still works fine.
 
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SASORacing

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Jun 10, 2014
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Location
Utah
I use the jr and use the direct quick plug on a motorcycle. Very clean and easy because I don't have to remove the tail section everytime.
 
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justme-

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May 24, 2014
Messages
787
Location
Boston suburbs
Schumacher makes far lower quality products than many realise. Skip them. Battery tender or junior and skip the timer. Been using a jr on one of my HDs for 6 years now. Use a HF float on the other (which is a cheaper battery and older so less concerned) but after 5 years with it so far it's still good. Tenders have desulfation, maintain and float as well as being able to bring up from dead which many others (like HF ) do not.
 
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Notgrownup

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May 5, 2014
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Location
Snow Hill NC
Just make sure it has the float mode if you buy a cheap one...I use craftsmen , they usually
Are like $20 on Black Friday.
 
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MemphisR32

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Oct 9, 2014
Messages
155
I have been using a CTEK MUS 4.3 on my motorcycle and track car and have been really impressed with them. They also have a hookup which has status LED's on them to tell if the battery needs a charge or not and for the motorcycle will also help tell if the R&R is working properly when running.

Another thing I like about this maintainer is it has separate motorcycle/small battery setting and the ability to charge Optima style batteries.
 
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Paco Pena

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Jul 20, 2010
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Location
Vancouver Canada
I have a Yuasa Smart Shot 900ma tender on my bike. I leave it connected all the time and that battery is 10 years old and going strong.

Paco
 
R

rshadd

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Dec 29, 2009
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1,598
Location
Doylestown, PA
I've been using Deltran Battery Tender Juniors for a few years now.
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J

jvitez

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Nov 30, 2009
Messages
2,429
Location
Big Sky Country, Canada
If you want to order online:

http://www.eshine.ca/battery_tender_junior-3002.php

I've got a Battery Tender Jr, a Battery Minder, a Schumacher automatic, plus a few others. The Battery Minder can have 4 batteries of different sizes hooked up at the same time which is very helpful, but the Battery Tender Jr is fine. I use it for either winter storage of a car battery, then summer storage of a snowmobile. Anything with a desulphation mode is preferable to float mode only.
 
7

71goldss

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May 23, 2012
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Location
Northern Calif
I've been using HF's elcheapo $5.99 float charger on my El Camino for about six years now and have yet to have a dead or overcharged battery. I used to have to replace the battery about every year and a half, assuming due to just sitting for too long at a time. Still on the same battery since buying this charger.

I also spent about $90 on a "true" Battery Tender with dual outputs and 25' extended leads from Summit Racing for a Xmas gift to my son a couple of years ago because I didn't want to look cheap, though knowing from personal experience that a couple of the HF models would work just fine!
 
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IndyGarage

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Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,669
Location
Indy
I have about 20 battery chargers of all kinds.

My favorites are the Battery Tender plus models. They work on all types of batteries.

I have several Battery Tender juniors - they work good, but you can't use them long term on AGM batteries.

I have a couple of Battery Minders - the large one and the one that is sized like a BT junior. They charge batteries fine, but they cost about double the Battery Tenders and I see no advantage. They are supposed to desulphate the battery, but I've seen no improvements even when used over long periods of time.

I have a couple of Schumachers - one maintainer about the size of Battery Tender plus - it seems to work fine. I have one that has a jump start mode - it's total junk. I have one of their jump start packs. It's small but it will jump a car.

I have one of the harbor freight $6.99 tenders and it works great.

I have a big 200 amp booster on wheels and it works fine - but you can't leave it on a battery long..
 
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